Northstar - Walla Walla Valley Merlot 2005

Tasting Notes	Buy Wine Club Members - Buy Wine
Leather and bright cherry flavors are balanced well into this satiny smooth, well structured Merlot that concludes with a supple, lingering finish.
Vintage Overview
Warm summer months and a cool autumn yielded a record harvest for 2005. The growing season began with moderate winter temperatures, followed by a long and warm summer which allowed prolonged hang-time and resulted in fruit with deep, concentrated flavors and intense color.
Vineyards
Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from some of Walla Walla’s best vineyard sites are showcased in this, Northstar’s flagship wine. The resulting fruit provides concentrated black cherry flavors, structure and complexity to the blend.
Winemaking
Grapes were destemmed, crushed and inoculated with Premier Cuvée yeast to begin the five-day fermentation. The must was punched down daily during fermentation, and was then racked into barrels to undergo malolactic fermentation. Racking occurred every three months for clarity during the 17-month aging process. The barrel regime included 80% French and 20% American oak, with 80% new barrels. The final blend consists of fruit from 8 distinct vineyard blocks.
Technical Data
Total Acidity 0.58/100 ml pH 3.73 Alcohol 14.4% Blend 80% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot

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